Process and apparatus for drawing and twisting fibrous slivers



March 31, 1970 E. FEss ETAL 3,503,197

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWING AND TWISTING FIBROUS SLIVERS I lllll'l IIIIIIIIIII 'III IlllIIllJ n Q 1 n Q n t h S l mm l 2 n ,fm H YN n n mf a ma im 1 LVW. n N@ Filed April 14, 1935 lNveN'roRs EMIL Fass BY FRITZ scHuMANN.

.N .DE

ATTORNEYS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS EMIL FESS FRITZ SCHUMANN ATTORNEYS.

March 31, 1970 E. FEss ETAL PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWING AND TWISTING FIBROUS SLIVERS Filed April 14, 1965 W n l l United States Patent U.S. Cl. 57-36 12 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A process and apparatus are disclosed wherein the twisting of a fibre sliver is continuously carried out in two stages. An initial twist is imparted along a length of the sliver which runs between a drawing mechanism and a first pinch point contact device i.e., holding point device, and a final twist is imparted along a length of the sliver running between a second pinch point contact device and the roving can filling mechanism. Both the initial and final twists are of identical sense so that there is produced a resultant twist which is the sum of the first and second twists. The twisting imparts to the sliver the cohesive and strength properties which are necessary and desirable for further processing operations. The apparatus comprises a sliver infeed system having a conventional drawing device which is rotated about the drawn sliver transport axis that inherently passes through the pinch point of a following first pair of stationary pinch or calender rolls whereby a twist is imparted over the moving sliver portion between the pinch point and the rotating drawing device. A second pair of pinch rolls is provided, the sliver being passed from said first rolls to said second rolls, the latter rotating relative to the first rolls So as to impart to the sliver an augmented final twist.

This invention relates in general to the art of spinning and spinning mill machinery, and more particularly to a process and an apparatus for drawing and twisting fibrous slivers.

As is well known throughout the spinning industry, twisting increases the cohesive qualities and strength of drawn fiber slivers, with the cohesion and strength of such drawn slivers generally increasing with the twist count, or twist per unit length imparted to the slivers.

The invention is directed at replacing the fiy frames commonly used in prior art spinning machines. One of the primary disadvantages of such fly frames is the large number of moving parts necessary for winding twisted slivers on bobbins, thereby resulting in a relatively eX- pensive and complex fiy machine. In addition, the output of such fly machines is limited by the restrictions imposed upon bobbin weights and rotation speeds on account of the centrifugal forces resulting from the rotation of such bobbins. These disadvantages are more prominent in the case of coarse fibrous slivers. Furthermore, the automatic removal and subsequent transport operation of the fiy frame bobbins is relatively difficult.

The various known direct spinning processes and sliver spinning processes have provided some improvement in this regard. However, the sliver lap that is fed to the drawing frame in such known processes has no appreciable twist and therefore is subject to a disadvantage in that it has a correspondingly short cohesive length.

It is known in the ber spinning art (see Johannsen, Geschichte der Textilindustrie, Sud-Verlag, Leipzig- Stuttgart, 1932, p. 216 et seq.) to impart a twist to a sliver after is has been passed through a drawing frame, by

3,503,197 Patented Mar. 31, 1970 ICC causing it to run through a holding point that is rotating with the roving can before the sliver is passed into the latter. The rotational speed of the holding point device is maintained approximately the same as that of the cylinder, so that the sliver receives a twist over a length which corresponds to the circumference of the cylinder, which in most practical applications is a relatively slight twist. To provide for a uniform feeding of the sliver into the roving can, it is passed through a pair of cylindrical calender rolls which are mounted above the can and are rotatably driven by a belt drive.

In some prior art applications, rotating tubes have been used instead of calender roll pairs. Such arrangements, however, are subject to the inherent disadvantage that very high can speeds are required to impart sufficient twist to the sliver at the production speeds presently used.

Because of these high can speeds necessary for sliver twisting, centrifugal force considerations impose practical limits upon the diameter of roving cans used with fly frames. For long continuous production runs, the roving can diameter is preferably made as large as permissible, and hence the centrifugal force considerations imposed by these high can speeds limits the production capability of conventional prior art spinning machines. Furthermore, it is necessary to use narrow, high cans in such fly frames in order to realize an acceptable production rate.

The aforementioned disadvantages are avoided in the process and apparatus according to the instant invention wherein the twisting of the sliver is continuously performed in two stages. In the process and apparatus of the invention, an initial twist is imparted along a length of the sliver which runs between a drawing mechanism and a first pinch point contact device commonly designated as a holding point device, and a final twist is imparted along a length of the sliver running between a second pinch point contact device and the roving can filling mechanism with both the initial and final twists being of identical sense so as to produce a resultant twist which is the sum of said first and second twists.

The pinch point contact or holding point devices function to grip or pinch the sliver with substantially point contact so as to prevent axial rotation of the sliver at such contact points, while at the same time permitting the sliver to be passed freely in a longitudinal direction. For example, a typical holding point device can be provided in the form of a pair of parallel rollers which are positioned in abutting rolling line contact. A sliver passed transversely at any point along the contact line of such rollers will be pinched at that point so as to permit such a point to be used for imparting a twist to the sliver. Another example of a holding point device is a mating grooved roller and beveled roller. Where there is relative rotation between the holding point device and a portion of a sliver extending beyond said holding point device, a twist will be imparted to the sliver.

The process and apparatus according to the invention is by no means limited to single slivers, but can also be used with a plurality of slivers which are drawn parallelly to one another and then twisted to form a single composite sliver.

A typical apparatus that can be used for performing the process of the invention uses a sliver infeed system having a conventional drawing device which is rotated about the drawn sliver transport axis that inherently passes through the pinch point of a following first pair of stationary pinch or calender rolls. Although the drawn sliver is continuously moving through said pinch point under normal operating conditions, at each instant as the sliver passes through the pinch point, the sliver portion at said pinch point will be prevented from rotating thereat by the pinching action of the rolls. Thus a twist will be imparted continuously over that moving sliver portion between the pinch point and the rotating drawing device.

The twist so imparted, which is actually an initial twist, will in general, be retained by the sliver after it passes through the first pair of pinch rolls, and up to the pinch point of a following second pair of stationary pinch rolls, similar to the first.

The second pair of pinch rolls serves to reverse the direction of sliver travel so as to permit the initially twisted drawn sliver to be fed into the rotating outfeed pinch rolls of an outfeed system. By reason of the rotation of these outfeed pinch rolls, in relation to the stationary pinch point of the second pair of rolls, a nal twist is imparted to the initially twisted drawn sliver, which is then fed into an outfeed magazine for storage therein by the action of the outfeed pinch rolls.

The apparatus according to the instant invention is adapted for general use with various types of infeed and outfeed sliver magazines, such as cans, bobbins, etc.

In many applications of the invention, it will be desirable or necessary that the infeed sliver magazine, which feeds the undrawn and untwisted sliver to the drawing device, be rotated in synchronism therewith.

In other applications, such as those where the starting sliver has been previously twisted as a result of prior processes, the infeed magazine can .be stationary, or even counterrotated relative to the drawing device to remove such prior twisting by reverse twisting in order that the sliver fed to the drawing device be free of such prior twisting.

While the drawn sliver that emerges from the drawing device will be a single sliver, the apparatus of the invention is by no means limited to applications wherein a single sliver is fed to the drawing device, but can also be used for the drawing of multiple continuous slivers into a single composite sliver which is then twisted by the apparatus in the same manner as in the case of a single sliver fed to the drawing device. For example, a plurality of separate sliver magazines can be mounted together in the infeed system for supplying a plurality of separate slivers to the drawing device to be drawn together into a single composite sliver.

Twisting gives the sliver the cohesive properties which are necessary and desirable for further processing operations, and the amount of twisting per unit length of sliver will depend upon the sliver strength desired or required. In general, sliver strength requirements will depend upon the subsequent processing requirements, such as for example whether the drawn and twisted sliver is to be put out into cans or cross-wound onto bobbins. When the sliver output of the apparatus is fed into cans, a lower twisting per unit length is required than in the case where the sliver is to be wound onto the customary yer bobbins, because in the case of bobbins, more strength is required because the sliver must withstand the bobbin drag as it is pulled out and wound up.

By using cans for containing the drawn and twisted sliver output, a reduction of the sliver twist per unit length (absolute twist count) required is made possible.

It has been found that increased production of drawn and twisted slivers can be achieved by using a spinning process according to the invention wherein the sliver twist count is divided into two stages between the input and output of the fly machine.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a process and apparatus for drawing and twisting continuous brous slivers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a process and apparatus as aforesaid wherein the twisting and drawing of the slivers can be performed with a continuous sequence of drawing and twisting operations over th course ot an extensive production run.

Another and further object of the invention is to provide a process and apparatus as aforesaid which produces 4 drawn slivers having a selected uniform twist per unit length.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a process and apparatus as aforesaid wherein a plurality of separate slivers can be drawn together into a single composite sliver and given a selected uniform twist per unit length.

Another object of the invention is to provide a process and apparatus as aforesaid which is adaptable for use with slivers that have been previously twisted.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation view, partly in section, of an apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top end view of an infeed magazine arrangement that can be used with the apparatus of FIG. l for drawing and twisting a single sliver from a plurality of separate slivers.

FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of the draw-off mechanism of FIG. l.

FIGS. 4 and 4a show an apparatus for depositing the twisted fiber ribbons in the form of a coil.

Referring now to FIGS. l and 3, which shows schematically an apparatus A which can be used for drawing and twisting brous slivers, said apparatus A being conveniently divided for simplification purposes in the following description into an infeed system portion B and an outfeed system portion C, as indicated by the dashed line envelopes therein.

According to the invention, a continuous sliver 2, which is supplied in a can magazine 1 is fed through a 'gliding funnel 3 into and through a drawing device 4. The drawn sliver 2a which emerges from the drawing device 4 is passed through a first pair of pinch rolls 7 which are disposed in fixed spaced-apart relation to the drawing device 4.

The drawing device 4 is disposed in a housing 6 which is free to rotate in a table plate 5 about an axis which passes through the pinch point P1 of the rolls 7, and axis being preferably the axis defined by the path of the drawn sliver 2a between the drawing device 4 and the pinch point P1 of the rolls 7, since under normal operation of the apparatus A the sliver portion 2a will be taut rather than slack.

Any suitable conventional means can be provided for rotatably driving the drawing device 4, such as for example, a motor M with a shaft 84 with a gear drive 85, 86

which engages a spur gear 61 aixed to the housing 6.

A cover 62 which is secured to the housing 6 is provided for centering and driving the infeed magazine can 1 in synchronous rotation with the drawing device 4, with said can 1 being rotatably supported at its bottom by a wheellike turntable 19 which is journaled in a base plate D.

Thus, the infeed system B which comprises the magazine can 1 and drawing device 4 together with the sliver 2 feed means including the funnel 3 and the various sliver grippling and pulling devices within the drawing device 4, is rotated relative to the stationary pinch point P1, thereby imparting a twist to the sliver portion 2a. The twist count, i.e. twist per unit length, imparted to the sliver portion 2a depends in general upon the rotation rate of the infeed system B drawing device 4, the feed rate of the sliver 2 through said drawing device 4, and a space distance between the pinch point P1 and the final gripping point P2 in the drawing device 4.

In general, the location of the rolls 4 and the pinch point P1 will be governed by the space available for the operation of the apparatus A, and the location of the outfeed system C. Consequently, to impart a selected twist count to the sliver portion 2a, the rotation rate of the drawing device 4 is set in relation to the feed-through rate of the sliver 2.

The sliver portion 2b which emerges from the rolls 7 will be twisted by reason of the aforesaid drawing device 4 rotation, and if desired, can be wound up, or otherwise collected by suitable means (not shown) or fed to another sliver processing apparatus (not shown).

However, in accordance with the invention, it is preferred to perform the entire twisting of the sliver 2 in two stages, with the twist imparted to the sliver portion 2a being the initial twist, and with the final twisting being performed over the sliver portion 2c which passes into the outfeed system C through the pinch point P4 of a pair of outfeed pinch rolls 9.

Accordingly, the sliver portion 2b is passed through the stationary pinch point P3 of a second pair of pinch rolls 8, similar to the first, for reversing the sliver travel direction so as to permit the outfeed system C to be located alongside of the infeed system B. Where the infeed and outfeed systems B and C are arranged for direct passage of the initially twisted sliver to the outfeed system C, the rolls 8 can be omitted, with the sliver portions 2b and 2c becoming identical.

It is to be understood that the sliver portions designated 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d actually refer to portions of the original sliver 2, which has been drawn by the drawing device 4, that are passing between positions defined by the various pinch points P1, P2, P3 and P4, and because of the continuous feed-through operation of the apparatus A, such sliver portion designations refer to processing zones rather than to any fixed sliver portions.

The initially twisted sliver portion 2b receives an auginenting final twist after passing through the pinch point P3 as indicated at the sliver portion 2c, by reason of the rotation of the outfeed system C relative to the stationary pinch point P3 of the rolls 8, said rolls 8 being disposed in fixed spaced-apart relation to the outfeed system C. As in the case of the initial twist imparted continuously over the sliver portion 2a passing between the gripping pinch point P2 of the drawing device 4 and the pinch point P1, the final twist imparted over the sliver portion 2c is dependent upon the rotation rate of the outfeed system C, the sliver travel rate, and also the spacing between the pinch point P3 of the rolls 8, and the pinch point P4 of the driven outfeed pinch rolls 9 which rotate with the outfeed system C about the same axis, in addition to their simultaneous counterrotation about their parallel longitudinal axes.

It should be noted that where the sliver travel direction is reversed between the infeed and outfeed systems B and C, as results from the operation of the pinch rolls 8, the outfeed system C must be rotated in an opposite sense to the rotation of the drawing device 4 in the infeed system B, in order that the final twist imparted over the sliver portion 2c be augmentative to the initial twist, rather than subtractive as would occur in this case if the outfeed system C were rotated in the same sense as the drawing device 4.

On the table plate 5, a fiange-like spur gear 51 is disposed concentrically with the axis of rotation of the housing 6, said gear 51 being affixed to the table plate 5. The drawing device 4 is driven through a planet gear 41 mounted to the housing 6, said planet gear 41 being in rolling engagement with the stationary spur gear 51, and revolving around said gear 51 carried by the rotating housing 6. The rotation imparted to the planet gear 41 is transmitted through a worm drive 40 comprising the gear wheels 42 and 43 which are operatively connected to to rotatably drive the draft cylinders E (FIG. 3) of the drawing device 4.

The outfeed system C can be expediently designed as a can magazine outfeed system C. The sliver portion 2d leaving the outfeed pinch rolls 9 is delivered into the outfeed magazine 12 and accumulated therein during the operation of the apparatus A until the infeed magazine can 1 is emptied. While for purposes of example, the outfeed magazine 12 is illustrated as a can magazine 12, a bobbin can be substituted if desired, in which case the 6 sliver portion 2d is cross-wound upon such a bobbin as shown in FIG. 4.

The outfeed system C according to FIG. 1 is provided with a housing 13 having a top portion which is rotatably mounted in the table plate 5, and having a bottom portion which is rotatably supported by means of a pin 131 which is journaled in a thrust pivot bearing 132. The housing 13 serves to receive and center the outfeed magazine can 12 in relation to the axis of rotation of said outfeed system C. Similar to the rotation of the infeed system B, the outfeed system is rotated about an axis passing through the pinch points P3 and P4 of the rolls 8 and 9 respectively.

The pair of outfeed pinch rolls 9 is mounted to the housing 13 by means of a corresponding pair of shafts 91 journally supported thereby (in FIG. 1, only one of the rolls 9 and one of the shafts 91 is visible since the other roll 9 and shaft 91 is obscured by reason of their respective parallel dispositions behind the visible roll 9 and shaft 91).

In the upper part of the housing 13 is mounted a rotating plate 11 together with a tube wheel 111 having a sliver feedthrough passage F for the passage of the drawn and twisted sliver 2d into the outfeed magazine 12, and internally and externally toothed plate-like spur gear 15 which engages mating teeth on the tube wheel 111 for rotatably driving same.

To the right side of the housing 13 there is a hollow shaft 17 in which another shaft 18 is mounted for driving the spur gear 15 and the tube wheel 111. Both shafts 17 and 18 are carried by the revolving housing 13.

The driving of the entire outfeed system C, which begins from the spur gear 14 affixed to the pivot pin 131, is accomplished by the rotation of the housing 13 via said spur gear 14 which can be driven by the motor M and a chain 83 which is in engagement with a wheel mounted on a shaft 84 and with said gear 14.

The gears 16 and 161 journaled to the pivot pin 131 are stationary. Due to the rotation of the housing 13 the gear 181 aflixed to the shaft 18 rolls on the gear 161, and the gear 171 of the hollow shaft 17 rolls on the gear 16, with the motion of the gears 181 and 171 being in the nature of the motion of planet gears. The rotary motion of shaft 18 is transmitted through a spur gear 182 to the gear 15 and also through two pairs of beveled gears 92 and 93 t0 the shafts 91 for driving the outfeed pinch rolls 9.

The hollow shaft 17 transmits its rotary motion through a spur gear 172 to the plate 11 for rotating same.

The gear ratios of the various gears previously described herein are selected in relation to each other in a manner obvious to those skilled in the art, so as to obtain desired operating speeds in the various moving parts of the apparatus A, and to obtain a suitable lay, for example a cycloidal lay of the sliver 2d in the can magazine 12.

Due to the fact that the outfeed pinch rolls 9 rotate with the housing 13 in relation to the pinch point P3 of the pinch rolls 8, the sliver portion 2c receives an additional twist. In cases where the sliver portion 2b is fed directly into the outfeed pinch rolls 9 with the pinch rolls 8 being omitted, the housing 13 is rotated in the same direction as the drawing device 4 of the infeed apparatus B in order to provide for an additive final twist.

As already mentioned, for the fiber ribbons which leave the pair of calender rolls 9, instead of the outfeed magazine 12 shown in FIGURE 1, also winding means 122 (FIGS. 4 and 4a) can be provided. Hereby, a motor onto whose roller a driving pulley 113 is mounted which leads over a cone 'belt 114, will activate a roller 116 which is attached securely to a belt pulley. The roller 116, securely connected to a table plate 5' which contains a rotary case 130, will set same into rotation. Through this, a gear wheel 118 can interlock with a gear wheel 162 which is securely connected to the pivot bearing 123. The roller 81 transmits its rotating movements by way of the bevel gears 29 and 39 onto a roller 94, which carries the calender roll 9 and a gear wheel 95. The gear wheel engages with a gear 7 wheel 96, which is mounted on the winding roller 97 and thus activates the winding roller 97.

The rolling up arrangement of the liber ribbon onto the coil Winder 122, takes place in cross-twisting. For this, a gear wheel 124 is securely connected onto roller 94, which engages with a gear wheel 12S, which is connected to a cross thread spindle. A spindle nut 127 is attached to spindle 126, which carries a guiding of the silver loop. By means of the cross thread and simultaneous rotation of spindle 126, the spindle nut 127 and the loop 127 are moved back and forth on the spindle, which results in the rolling up arrangement of the fiber ribbons in cross threads.

The process of the instant invention has been described by way of example with reference to FIGS. l, 3, and 4 in terms of the drawing and twisting of a single sliver. The process of the invention is also applicable -by way of the apparatus A to the multiplexing of a plurality of separate slivers (not shown) which can be fed together into the drawing device 4 and drawn into a single composite sliver which is then subjected to twisting by the apparatus A in the same manner as in the case of an originally single sliver.

The apparatus A can be readily adapted for the drawing and twisting of a single composite sliver (not shown) from a plurality of undrawn slivers by a simple change in the construction of the infeed magazine 1, and by providing a funnel-like converger 71 at the entrance to the first pair of pinch rolls 7. Such an infeed magazine arrangement is shown in FIG. 2, wherein a plurality of separate continuous slivers are supplied in individual magazine cans 1" of smaller diameter than the magazine can 1, said magazine can 1" being held together in fixed spatial relation to each other by a suitable frame G within an infeed magazine can holder 1 which is rotatable in the same manner as the magazine can 1. In the operation of the apparatus A with a plurality of separate sliver magazines, such as is exemplified by FIG. 2, care must be taken to assure that the infeed slivers are fed to the revolving drawing device in a loose state and in a non-tangling manner. This may be accomplished by providing appropriate sliver guides (not shown) in lieu of the infeed funnel 3 for feeding the individual slivers supplied from each magazine 1" to the drawing device 4, said sliver guides (not shown) serving to prevent the tangling of the individual slivers.

Previously twisted slivers can also be drawn and twisted in accordance with the process of the invention and by the apparatus A simply by stopping or retarding the feeding of such previously twisted slivers to the drawing device 4 so that the prior twist is unwound to such an extent that a perfect sliver draft can be achieved. The unwinding of such previously twisted slivers can be obtained, depending upon the degree of twist or twist count initially present, by maintaining the infeed magazine stationary with respect to the rotating drawing device 4, or by rotating it at a rate and in a direction relative to the rotation of the drawing device 4 which will produce the desired degree of untwisting Instead of the outfeed pinch rollers 9, the tinal twist can be imparted to the sliver portion 2c by means of a conventional twisting head or twisting tube (not shown), although a holding point formed fby cylindrical pinch rolls or matingly grooved and beveled pinch rolls assures a more precise transmission of twist to the sliver in the case of some sliver qualities, a simple transport roller, or pulley (not shown) over which the sliver runs may suffice for the transmission of twist.

In the operation of the apparatus A, it is important that the sliver twisting operations produced by the rotation of the infeed and outfeed systems B and C, be imparted to the sliver so that said twists are added to each other.

With regard to the pinch rolls 7 and 8, it should be noted that it is desirable that all portions of the sliver passing from the infeed magazine 1 through to the outfeed magazine 12 travel at the same speed, and without excessive tension. Since the driven drawing device 4 provides for feeding the sliver out of the infeed magazine 1 and toward the outfeed system C, and the driven pinch rolls 9 provide for the feeding of the finally twisted sliver into the outfeed magazine 12 and such tensile forces as are necessary to overcome friction in the pinch rolls 7 and 8, under ordinary friction conditions, it should not be necessary to provide any drive means for the synchronous rotation of said pinch rolls 7 and 8. However, if desired, appropriate conventional drive means (not shown) and/ or a speed control device (not shown) can be provided for driving the pinchL rolls 7 and 8 in relation to the synchronous rotational speeds of the infeed and outteed systems B and C so that a uniform sliver transmission speed is maintained throughout the apparatus A.

While for purposes of simplification, the apparatus of the invention is shown schematically in the figures of the drawing as a single work station, a plurality of work stations each embodying the apparatus A can be combined into a multi-sliver processing work station, just as in the case of conventional 'draw frames, a piurality of work stations can be combined into a multi-head frame apparatus.

What is claimed is:

1. A process for producing a drawn and twisted continuous fibrous sliver from a plurality of continuous slivers, which comprises:

(a) passing a plurality of continuous slivers through a rotating drawing device to produce a single composite drawn sliver;

(b) passing said drawn sliver from the drawing device through a first holding point device which is fixedly disposed in spaced-apart relation to said rotating drawing device to impart an initial twist to said drawn sliver; and

(c) passing said initially twisted and drawn sliver from the first holding point device through a second holding point device which is disposed in spaced-apart relation to the first holding point device and which rotates relative thereto in a direction which imparts an augmenting final twist to said initially twisted drawn sliver.

2. A process for producing a drawn and twisted continuous fibrous sliver having a selected twist per unit length from a previously twisted fibrous sliver having a different twist per unit length, which comprises:

(a) untwisting said previously twisted iibrous sliver;

(b) passing said untwisted sliver through a rotating drawing device for drawing thereby;

(c) passing the drawn sliver from the drawing device through a first holding point device which is i'lxedly disposed in spaced-apart relation to said rotating drawing device to impart an initial twist to said drawn sliver, with said initial twist being less per unit length of sliver than the selected twist per unit length thereof; and

(d) passing said initially twisted and drawn sliver from the first holding point device through a second holding point device which is disposed in spaced-apart relation to the first holding point device and which rotates relative thereto at a rate and in a direction which imparts an augmenting final twist to said initially twisted drawn sliver which produces a twisted drawn sliver having a resultant twist per unit length equal to the selected twist per unit length.

3. An apparatus for drawing and twisting a continuous fibrous sliver which comprises:

(a) means for feeding a continuous fibrous sliver to a sliver drawing device for drawing thereby;

(b) a sliver drawing device which draws the sliver received from said feeding means and passes the drawn sliver though the sliver pinch point of a first holding point device;

(c) means for rotating said drawing device about an axis passing through the pinch point of said iirst holding point device to impart an initial twist over the length of the drawn sliver `between said pinch point and the drawing device;

(d) a first holding point device disposed in fixed spacedapart relation to said drawing device, said holding point device having a sliver pinch point for the passage of the drawn and initially twisted sliver therethrough for delivery to a second holding point device;

(e) a second holding point device having a sliver pinch point, said second holding point device being rotatable about an axis passing through its pinch point for imparting a final twist over the length of initially twisted and drawn sliver between the pinch points of the first and second holding point devices, with said finally twisted drawn sliver being passed through the pinch point of said second holding point device to an outfeed sliver collector;

(f) means for rotating said second holding point device about an axis passing through its pinch point, and in a direction which imparts an augmenting final twist to the initially twisted drawn sliver; and

(g) an outfeed sliver collector for accumulating the finally tiwsted and drawn sliver received from said second holding point device whereby the continuous fibrous sliver receives an initial twist after drawing as it passes from the drawing device through the pinch point of the first holding point device, and receives an augmenting final twist as it passes therefrom through the pinch point of the rotatable second holding point device, with the continuous twisted and drawn sliver being delivered to the outfeed sliver collector.

4. An apparatus for drawing and twisting a continuous fibrous sliver, which comprises:

(a) an infeed magazine for supplying a continuous fibrous sliver to a drawing device;

(b) a drawing device for drawing the sliver supplied by such infeed magazine, said drawing device having drive means for continuous feed-through sliver drawing operation;

(c) a first pair of pinch rolls for receiving the sliver drawn by the drawing device and passing same to a second pair of pinch rolls, said first pair of pinch rolls being disposed in xed spaced-apart relation to said drawing device;

(d) a second pair of pinch rolls for receiving the drawn sliver from said first pair of pinch rolls and passing same to a pair of outfeed pinch rolls, said second pair of pinch rolls being disposed in fixed spaced-apart relation to the outfeed pinch rolls;

(e) a pair of outfeed pinch rolls for receiving the drawn sliver from said second pair of pinch rolls and passing same to an outfeed magazine, said outfeed pinch rolls being rotatably driven about their longitudinal axes for continuous sliver feed-through;

(f) means for rotating said outfeed pinch rolls about their longitudinal axes for continuous sliver feeding through their pinch point;

(g) an outfeed magazine for receiving and accumulating the drawn sliver passed from said outfeed pinch rolls;

(h) a first drive means for rotating said drawing device about an axis passing through the sliver pinch point of the first pair of pinch rolls to impart an initial twist to the drawn sliver portion passing between the drawing device and the pinch point of said first pair of pinch rolls; and

(i) a second drive means for rotating said outfeed pinch rolls about an axis passing through the sliver pinch point of said second pair of pinch rolls to impart an augmenting final twist to said initially twisted sliver over the portion thereof which passes between the pinch points of the second pair of pinch rolls and the outfeed pinch rolls rotating relative thereto, whereby said outfeed pinch rolls deliver a finally twisted and drawn sliver to the outfeed magazine.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, including means for rotating the infeed magazine in synchronous relation to the drawing device.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the outfeed magazine is a can magazine, andincluding means for receiving the drawn and finally twisted sliver from the outfeed controls and laying same in said outfeed magazine can.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the outfeed magazine is a bobbin, and including means for receiving the drawn and finally twisted sliver from the outfeed pinch rolls and cross-winding said sliver upon said bobbin.

8. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the infeed magazine comprises a plurality of separate sliver magazines and means for holding said sliver magazines in fixed spatial relation to each other to supply a plurality of separate slivers to the drawing device, with one sliver being supplied thereto from each of said separate sliver magazines, and wherein said separate slivers supplied to the drawing device are drawn into a single composite sliver thereby.

9. An apparatus for drawing and twisting a continuous fibrous sliver, which comprises:

(a) an infeed magazine for supplying a continuous fibrous sliver to a drawing device;

(b) a drawing device for drawing the sliver supplied by said infeed magazine, said drawing device having drive means for continuous feed-through sliver drawing operation;

(c) a first pair of pinch rolls for receiving the sliver drawn by the drawing device and passing same to a second pair of pinch rolls, said first pair of pinch rolls being disposed in fixed spaced-apart relation to said drawing device;

(d) a second pair of pinch rolls for receiving the drawn sliver from said first pair of pinch rolls and passing same to an outfeed twist tube, said second pair of pinch rolls being disposed in fixed spaced-apart relation to the outfeed twist tube;

(e) an outfeed twist tube for receiving the drawn sliver from said second pair of pinch rolls and passing same to an outfeed magazine;

(f) an outfeed magazine for receiving and accumulating the drawn sliver passed from said twist tube;

(g) a first drive means for rotating said drawing device about an axis passing through the sliver pinch point of the first pair of pinch rolls to impart an initial twist to the drawn sliver portion passing between the drawing device and the pinch point of said first pair of pinch rolls; and

(h) means for rotating said outfeed twist tube in relation to said second pair of pinch rolls and about an axis passing through the sliver pinch point thereof to impart an augmenting final twist to said initially twisted sliver over the portion thereof which passes between the pinch point of the second pair of pinch rolls and the outfeed twist tube rotating relative thereto, whereby said outfeed twist delivers a finally twisted and drawn sliver to the outfeed magazine.

10. A process for producing a drawn and twisted continuous fibrous sliver, which comprises passing a continuous fibrous sliver without twisting through a drawing device for drawing said sliver, said drawing device comprising at least two pairs of rollers rotating at different speeds and being rotated about an axis defined by the drawn sliver passing therebetween for imparting an initial twist to said sliver following said drawing and an outfeed system which rotates relative thereto in a direction which imparts an augmenting final twist to said initially twisted drawn sliver.

11. A process for producing a drawn and twisted continuous fibrous sliver, which comprises passing a continuous fibrous sliver without twisting through a drawing device for drawing said sliver, said drawing device comprising at least two pairs of rollers rotating at different speeds and being rotated about an axis defined by the drawn sliver passing therebetween for imparting an initial twist to said sliver following said drawing and an outfeed systern, which rotates relative thereto in a direction which imparts an augmenting final twist to said initially twisted drawn sliver and a holding point device, which is xedly disposed between said drawing device and said outfeed system.

12. An apparatus for drawing and twisting a continuous fibrous sliver, which comprises (a) an infeed magazine for continuously supplying a fibrous sliver to a drawing device; (b) a sliver drawing device which draws the sliver received from said infeed magazine and passes the 15 drawn sliver to a pair of pinch rolls, said drawing device being rotated about an axis passing through the pinch point of said pinch rolls;

(c) means for rotating said drawing device about said axis to impart an initial twist to the portion of the drawn sliver passing from the drawing device to said pinch rolls;

(d) a pair of pinch rolls disposed in a xed spacedapart relation to said drawing device for receiving said initially twisted sliver and passing the same to a pair of outfed pinch ro1ls;'

(e) a pair of outfeed pinch rolls for receiving'the drawn and twisted sliver passed thereto by said pinch rolls, said outfeed pinch rolls being disposed in xed spaced-apart relation to said pinch rolls and being rotatable about an axis passing through the pinch point thereof; p

(f) means for rotating said outfeed pinch rolls about said axis to impart a iinal twist to said initially twisted sliver prior to its accumulation in an outfeed magazine; and

(g) an outfeed magazine for receiving and accumulating the drawn and twisted sliver passed from said outfeed pinch rolls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 617,679 1/1899 Emery 57-36 2,143,876 1/ 1936 Harris 19'-293 X 2,152,295 3/ 1939 Weinberger 19-159 2,481,538 9/1949 Rowedder 57-36 2,736,162 2/ 1956 Steinberger 57-36 X 2,796,725 6/ 1957 Urrutia 57-36 X 2,867,967 1/ 1959 Starnes 57-36 JOHN PETRAKES, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

